The college’s Summer Studios, a four-week intensive program of artists entering the 11th or 12th grade and are considering attending an arts college, is one of 817 nonprofit organization nationwide to receive an NEA Art Works grant.

Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts, according to a press release announcing the grant.

"The NEA support is critical to us. Thanks to the NEA we are able to offer scholarships to deserving students who otherwise would not have access to this extraordinary program, and it also serves as an endorsement for the quality of the program,” Anne Marie Stein, MassArt's dean of professional and continuing education, said in a statement. “We're thrilled."

The 817 recommended NEA grants total $26.3 million and span 13 artistic disciplines and fields. The NEA initially received 1,547 applications for Art Works grants requesting more than $80 million in funding.

"The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support these exciting and diverse arts projects that will take place throughout the United States,” NEA’s acting chairwoman Joan Shigekawa said in a statement. “Whether it is through a focus on education, engagement, or innovation, these projects all contribute to vibrant communities and memorable opportunities for the public to engage with the arts."

Summer Studios allows students to live on campus if they choose to experience a rigorous art school program. Students from around the world take classes in multiple areas, including painting, fashion, illustration, graphic design, and sculpture and participate in a closing exhibition.

The Art Works grant awarded to MassArt will support scholarships for students attending the Summer Studios.